Our ambassador offers a preview of a bustling Saturday card that includes the Listed August Stakes at Windsor, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing from 4.30 pm. The highlight of the Sky Sports Racing broadcast on Saturday evening is the Listed Weatherbys August Stakes over 6½ furlongs. The race could see my husband, Tom Marquand, aboard the well‑known Tenability, trained by William Haggas.
Both jockey and trainer have a strong connection with the horse, and their combined experience makes this a compelling partnership to watch. Tenability arrives at Windsor in good form and appears unfazed by the prospect of soft ground. He demonstrated his resilience on a rainy day at Ascot last autumn when he chased down Al Qareem in the Cumberland Lodge, showing that a little rain never deters him. Since then he has been kept sharp, having beaten his stable companion Hamish at Goodwood in June and then finishing a respectable third in a Group Three at Deauville over a distance longer than the Windsor trip.
Those performances give him a solid foundation and suggest he could be the most in‑form runner in the field. By contrast, the intriguing Silawi has struggled to live up to the promise shown when he won the Group One International in Canada last October and later contested the Jebel Hatta in Dubai, finishing a close second to Opera Ballo in January. While his pedigree is impressive, his recent form has been underwhelming, making Tenability the more attractive option for punters seeking a reliable contender.
The day’s most prestigious contest is the Group Two Virgin Bet Celebration Mile Stakes at Goodwood, scheduled for 3.10 pm. I will be keeping an eye on the affable Zavateri, who appears poised to claim his first victory of the year.
The three‑year‑old, trained by Eve Johnson Houghton, ran respectably behind Bow Echo in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood and was not outclassed in the Group One at York last weekend when he faced Notable Speech. Although Zavateri is stepping up after a quick turnaround, his previous Pattern win in the Vintage Stakes at this venue suggests he can handle the pace and the mile distance. A potential upset could come from Qirat, the surprise winner of last year’s Sussex Stakes, who will be looking to repeat his brilliance. If he gets a clean start, his front‑running style could make him a genuine threat to any rival.
For those who enjoy a good handicap story, George Scott may have been tempted to drop Forty Years On into stakes company, but he instead targets the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Handicap over 2 furlongs at Goodwood. This progressive filly, recently raised eight pounds to a rating of 96, has shown consistency by winning four of her last five starts, including a comfortable victory on soft ground at Newbury in early June. Any further rain along the South Coast should play to her strengths.
She will face Andrew Balding’s Ghost Mode, who triumphed at the Goodwood Festival despite a tendency to hang. Ghost Mode carries four pounds more than Forty Years On and appears to be her most significant rival. However, The Fingal Raven also boasts a strong record and could offer value at longer odds. William Haggas’s gelding High Degree, a son of Too Darn Hot, looks capable of giving weight to his opponents in the Virgin Bet A Good Bet Handicap at Goodwood.
Cieren Fallon’s mount was boosted by the introduction of cheekpieces at Pontefract a few weeks ago and remains light enough to handle a modest four‑pound increase. Gary and Josh Moore’s Too Soon also looks well‑handicapped despite a win at Epsom early in the season. If the colt is fully fit after a three‑month break, he could provide a solid ride for the talented young jockey Warren Fentiman. On the other side of the card, Welsh trainer Chris Mason’s All Ways Glamorous, who performed admirably in the Shergar Cup, may have to settle for a share of the modest prize money in the Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Handicap over 4½ furlongs.
My personal pick for that race is David O’Meara’s Toca Madera, who ran a strong race in defeat at York last week before struggling on softer ground four days later. His fifth‑place finish in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood suggests he can hold his own against seasoned rivals, especially under the guidance of Danny Tudhope. Turning to Sandown, I expect Secret Of Life to preserve her unbeaten record in the Group Three BetMGM Atalanta Stakes at 2½ furlongs on Saturday.
Trained by Ralph Beckett, the daughter of Pinatubo captured the Listed Coral Distaff on Eclipse Day and appears ready to step up in class, especially after receiving a weight allowance from older, more experienced fillies. Calendar Girl is another contender to watch. After a Listed win at Haydock Park three weeks ago, she entered the Group One Sun Chariot and will be hoping for another progression under trainer Owen Burrows. Both she and Secret Of Life have shown the ability to handle a quick turn of speed, making the Atalanta Stakes a compelling duel.
Sonic Angel’s wins have all come on all‑weather surfaces, but Simon and Ed Crisford’s colt is poised for a successful turf debut in the Group Three BetMGM Solario Stakes at Sandown. The horse impressed on debut at Newcastle, pulling away from the 90‑rated Siouxperb, and then followed up with a penalty‑laden run at Kempton Park earlier this month. Such performances suggest a bright future, especially as the colt is already earmarked for entries in the Group Two Champagne Stakes and the Group One Dewhurst, where he could test himself against the best of his generation.
Finally, Hollie Doyle sat down with Sky Sports Racing’s Simon Mapletoft to discuss her thoughts on the day’s card, offering insights that will no doubt enrich the viewing experience for racing fans across the nation.